Before & After

I Like My Version Better

March 24, 2013

I was exploring Kijiji earlier today as I do from time to time, when I saw something that caught my eye. I wish I could say that it caught my eye because it had fabulous lines and was just itching to be made over. I can’t. This piece caught my eye because the lines on it were quite familiar to me.

Remember the TV console I refinished last year?
Refinished sideboard

Refinished walnut sideboard with brass handles
Well, someone is selling the exact same piece only they had a slightly different take on how to make it over.
different take on a refinished sideboard
Sellers photo
different take on a refinished sideboard
Sellers photo
different take on a refinished sideboard
Sellers Photo
I realise that everyone's taste is different, but I like my version so much better. What do you think?

BTW -  Here’s the ad if you’d like to see more.

Life Lately

Scenes From My Weekend

March 18, 2013

I went into this past weekend with rather grand plans to get all sorts of stuff accomplished.  Friday night started with me deciding at 11pm to do this:

That's one of the ugly green chairs I talked about in my last post - it's looking better already isn't it? I only did that to one chair though (I'm sitting in the other as I type this), and I still need to clean it up and fix some dings and marks, but at least this project is finally moving in the right direction - right?

Saturday morning found me going completely crazy and heading to Ikea to pick up something I needed for another project I'm working on. I knew what I wanted, so while it was busy, I managed to cruise through pretty quickly and get out relatively unscathed (with only 2 unplanned items coming home with me).
That other project? Making some drapes for my bedroom. In the fall I bought some gorgeous fabric for drapes for my living room, but I've been too scared to touch it since I've never sewn drapes before. I decided that a trial run was in order, and the bedroom got elected as my guinea pig. I've never sewn anything more complicated than a straight line, but I've gotten rather ambitious - hopefully at the end I'll end up with some fully lined, pinch-pleated drapes. To that end I spent a good deal of Saturday watching YouTube videos trying to figure out how to sew a blind hem.
A post shared by Michelle (@eamonnandjack) on
So far the project has elicited some sailor-approved language from me and I've run out of band-aids for all the times I've stabbed myself in the fingers with pins. Also - I now completely understand why custom drapes as SO expensive!

Sunday was St. Patrick's Day, and while out running errands I spotted this cool ride:
I then headed for my home away from home - Home Depot. I was there on Thursday, and then back on Sunday. Two trips for two completely different reasons, and both times I  spent more time there than I should have. Am I weird to like exploring there? I always seen to find new things to look at.
I had planned to going home after that to work on my drapes, but a little something happened to derail my plans.
Stork with baby bundle
Image via 4photos.net
My boyfriend D became an uncle for the second time, so we headed to the hospital to welcome the new bundle into the world, which I think is a perfectly excellent reason not to have gotten the drapes completed.

How was your weekend - any projects started or completed? Did you celebrate St. Patrick's Day?

Before & After

I’ve finally made a decision (I think)

March 14, 2013

Remember over two years ago when I bought those two chairs off Kijiji? My plan was to reupholster them, and well, that hasn’t happened. Yup – it’s been two years and I haven’t done anything about them in all that time. I think that makes me the ultimate in DIY blogger failures – two years of inactivity on a project – that’s just bad. Also, these lovely (and I use that term quite loosely) chairs have been sitting as is in my living room ever since I got them – I didn’t even do the smart thing and hide them away. You should know I’m literally hanging my head in shame as I’m typing.
One of my Kijiji Chairs complete with rather unattractive upholstery
One of my Kijiji Chairs complete with rather unattractive upholstery
In my defense figuring out what I wanted to do to them is HARD. Do I paint the wood, try to strip and refinish it? What type of upholstery? What colour? I’ve received a small mountains of fabric samples over time in my search for ‘the right one’. Take a look at a some of my collection.
square fabric samples in a pile
Happily I think I’ve finally made a decision. Or part of one anyways. I’ve finally picked a fabric. Hallelujah! I’ve decided to go with this fabric from Tonic Living – it’s Kukula from Robert Allen in Iris with stripes in deep purple, white, light grey, and lime green.
Robert Allen - Kukula Fabric in Iris colourway
Robert Allen - Kukula Fabric in Iris colourway
While I’m excited to finally have that decided I do have one other decision to make – what to do with the chair frame itself. I’ve decided that the chairs aren’t worth stripping and refinishing – they are by no means antiques, so I’m going to paint them. Now I’ve run into a conundrum – what colour should I paint them? I know I won’t paint them lime green (which could be fun, but most decidedly not for me), but other than that I’m unsure – deep purple, white, or grey to match the stripes, or maybe even something else? Like black perhaps?
Louis XV with ugly upholstery
What colour should I paint the chair frame?
Anyone have any suggestions? What would you do?

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